This invention relates in general to communication networks, and more particularly to the determination of location information for communication devices within a network.
Asynchronous communication networks of low power communication devices are being designed for a variety of applications. Low power devices generally use a low communication duty cycle frame structure in order to minimize the amount of power used while not actively communicating with other network devices. However, the use of a low communication duty cycle frame structure often implies that device availability is reduced. In wireless communication networks, a fundamental challenge is maintaining high availability communications while using low power wireless communication devices.
In one particular application of an asynchronous communication network, geographically dispersed sensing devices are used for monitoring purposes. Generally, information on the location of such sensing devices is useful for facilitating routing, configuration, control, and data management within the network. When such devices are moved, the device location needs to be updated. However, for low-cost devices, the calculation of location information can be very complicated, particularly when there are a large number of devices. Ideally, location information is derived only when necessary, for instance, for those devices that have been moved.
Generally, there is a desire for networks of low power, low cost wireless devices with location awareness for each device. Existing network designs do not adequately provide for a low cost, reliable method for maintaining location information within such networks. Therefore, a new system and method for maintaining updated location information in a network of distributed communication devices is needed.